


Rose and the Mechanic

by orphan_account



Series: Better With Two [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: 2019 rewrite of the original from 2017, Angst, Dating, Episode AU: s03e08-09 Human Nature/Family of Blood, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Fobwatched Doctor, Innuendo, Jack being Jack, Romance, because I can't leave anything alone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-03 17:31:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17288366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The threat of the Family of Blood forces the Ninth Doctor into hiding. Now, he only knows himself as John Smith; human, mechanic, and utterly besotted with his new co-worker, Rose Tyler.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! My New Year's Resolution is to finish this rewrite. I may be slow and I apologize for that. But I'm posting now to motivate myself! 
> 
> If you've read this story before, welcome back! I apologize for removing it from AO3, but I had some major problems with the original version. The overall plot is the same, but it starts a bit different and some details and a LOT of dialogue have been completely changed. As I'm reworking this story, the entire Better With Two series is taken down (mainly because I'll probably tweak Bad Wolf Rises, too). 
> 
> If you've never read this story before, hello! My absolute favorite Doctor Who fanfiction is a fobwatched Nine. I HAD to do my own :) 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> And THANK YOU THANK YOU to mrsbertucci for her fabulous beta work!!!! Go read her stuff!

The Doctor opened the Tardis doors, eager to show Rose and Jack a new planet, and stepped outside. Pleased he had nailed the date (for once), he drew in a lungful of air.

And he immediately froze.

A blazing-hot bolt from a laser gun hit the blue panel. It sizzled and cracked barely a millimeter away from his ear.

“Get back!” the Doctor shouted.

He pivoted and slammed into Jack, knocking the captain down on the ramp. Another blast skirted his shoulder and smacked into the console inches from where Rose stood. Angry sparks and smoke billowed into the room as he frantically slammed the doors shut.

“What’s going on?” Jack winced, rubbing his aching bum.

The Doctor jumped over him and dashed straight to Rose by the damaged console.

“Did it hit you?” He clutched her tightly by the arms and scanned her for injuries.

Wide-eyed, Rose shook her head. “No, m’fine. Who’s out there?”

“The Family.”

He let her go and danced around the controls, sending them into the vortex faster than he’d ever done before. The Tardis whined but he’d have to apologize later. They had to shake off the threat _now_!

Jack leapt to his feet. “What can I do?”

“Hold the gravitronic lever.” The Doctor commanded, grabbing the computer terminal. His fingers flew over the keyboard and he cursed. “They’ve got a vortex manipulator. Rose, that blue button,” he hastily pointed, “hit it!”

The ship lurched violently. Eyes glued to the monitor, the Doctor ignored both Rose and Jack as they bombarded him with questions. Questions had to wait. No time for questions until they were safe. His stomach dropped as the Family popped up on the screen, managing to follow the ship through the vortex.

“Rose, again!” he bellowed.

Rose slammed the blue button and the Tardis hopped in and out of the vortex at a maddening speed. The cloister bell boomed. Warning lights flashed. Wires popped and a panel split open as the ship was pushed beyond her limit. But his fancy maneuvers didn’t matter. The Family kept up, hopping alongside no matter where or when in time and space he jumped.

Dread filled his veins. The Doctor caught Rose’s gaze through the thick, green-tinted smoke. There was only one thing he could do — he’d have to hide, disguise himself as he never had before. But it terrified him. If he did this, he’d have no ability to lock away forbidden thoughts of her lips on his. No superior biology to tamp his rampant hormones whenever she was near. No unequal lifespan to fear. No reason not to hold her forever. Take away the Time Lord and he’d succumb to his hearts desire.

But if he didn’t do it, the Family would find him. They’d drain the life force from his bones and live forever, wreaking havoc across the galaxies. He couldn’t outrun them in this form. They were the universe’s perfect bloodhounds, able to smell his genetic code from a million light years away.

Unless he changed every cell in his body.

Eyes still on Rose, the Doctor gulped. “I have to become human.”

A beat of silence interrupted the mayhem. And then Rose and Jack cried out, “ _What_?!”

~*~

_One month later…_

With a weary sigh, Rose tightened her grip on a bag of sandwiches and trudged along the pavement. She’d never thought she’d be back here, back living with her mum on the Powell Estates. The Doctor had thoroughly spoiled her with every moment in time and every corner of space at their fingertips. And now, she was forced to slow down, to live linear again. It was driving her spare. Her skin itched for the next adventure. Jack kept reminding her that they were _technically_ on an adventure now, just one with a bit more domestics.

Domestics. She never thought the Doctor’s loathing would rub off onto her. She’d had nearly twenty years of domestics under her belt. It shouldn’t bother her this much. If she had the Doctor around to commiserate with, it would be tolerable. But, no, he’d gone and turned himself into a stupid ape like her. He had a job. He shared a flat with Jack. He had a normal, humdrum name; John Smith.

She shouldn’t complain. It was nice to see her mum so happy, thrilled to have her daughter safe in her childhood, bubble-gum pink room again. Each day seemed to repair some of the damage from the whole disappear-for-a-year incident. And she didn’t mind doing laundry or dishes again, no matter how tedious folding or scrubbing was. She pitched in a lot on the Tardis, after all, not wanting the sentient ship to do all the work. No, the chores were simply an easy scapegoat for her restlessness.

Really, she was a ball of anxious energy, gnawing her cuticles away during the many quiet moments. Neither she nor Jack knew what to expect from the Family, and they didn’t have the Doctor around to guide them. They were practically flying blind.

There hadn’t been a lot of time for the Doctor to explain everything before he’d changed. He’d somehow recorded a video with a set of instructions, but he’d forgotten to include a few key details such as what the Family looked like, how many there were, or what they were supposed to do once they’d landed on Earth. He’d only barked at them to pack a bag and by the time they had returned with stuffed suitcases, the Doctor had parked himself under a helmet-like device dangling from the ceiling. He had rambled about a watch, begged for them to look after him, placed a kissed on her forehead, and then…

Then, the screaming had begun. The second the machine had turned on, he’d howled in agony. He’d dropped to his knees, clutching his head in a white-knuckled grip as though he was being burned alive. The sound still rattled her bones and pierced her heart. For as long as she lived his cries would haunt her. Out of instinct, she had run to him but Jack had held her back. She’d struggled in his arms and watched, helpless, as every cell in the Doctor’s body had been painfully forced to change from Time Lord to human. When it had finally, mercifully, finished, a fob watched had clattered onto the grating. The Doctor had slumped forward, eerily still and silent.

After that nightmare, it had been a bit of a blur. The Tardis had landed like a sledgehammer onto the Estates and a brief set of instructions magically appeared on the console. Jack had quickly followed them, dragging the passed out, now-human Doctor through the door while Rose had struggled with all their luggage. The clever ship had set Jack and the Doctor up in a flat across from her mum’s and gotten them jobs at the garage Mickey worked at. Three employees had quit without notice, all three having won the lottery even though they’d never played. In all the uncertainty, at least she hadn’t had to polish up the ol’ CV.

However, when the Doctor — no, John Smith — had woken, he’d had no idea who she was. The Tardis had fit Jack into John’s backstory as a decade-old friend. But her? Nothing. In John’s mind, his first day of work was their first meeting. She’d had to swallow a stab of jealousy every time Jack pretended to remember one of John’s implanted memories. Technically, _she’d_ known him longer than Jack. Been through more with him. Shared more inside jokes. But John only knew her as the lady who answered the phone.

So, here she was, a receptionist for a bunch of mechanics. Carting lunch back to the shop. Waiting for the threat to be over. Waiting to open the watch and bring back the Doctor.

The swings creaked in the breeze as Rose approached the park. She remembered playing there when she was younger with an overly cautious Jackie keeping a sharp eye. There hadn’t been much graffiti back then, just a few indents in the pavement where mischievous kids had disturbed the wet cement before it had cured. Now, the brick wall was covered in spray paint and she grimaced every day as she walked past it.

The bell on the front door tinkled when Rose swung it open. “Lunch!” she announced.

Jack waltzed from the back with a sunny smile. “Thanks, Rose! I’m half-starved.” He arranged a few chairs around her reception desk and plonked himself down.

Mickey and Rob (a part-time mechanic) grabbed their sandwiches without a word, ostensibly too famished to bother with a polite word of gratitude. And then John finally sauntered in and sat without hesitation next to Rose. He frowned slightly and scooted his chair closer.

“How’d you know tuna was me favorite? You’re the angel of mercy, you are.” John took a large bite of food, his arm brushing hers with the movement, and hummed in delight.

As it always did, Rose’s heart skipped a beat at his proximity. “Du’no about angel. Don’t think an angel would dance at the clubs like I used to.”

“Oh?” Jack smirked. “Care to show us your moves?”

Rose laughed. “In your dreams, Jack.”

“M’sure he’d be lucky to have that dream,” John murmured, so only she’d hear.

Cheeks flaming, Rose stole a glance at John. He looked at her and winked.

She could handle their impromptu situation on Earth if it weren’t for one thing — the flirting. John fancied her and he made no attempts to hide it. Unlike the Doctor, Mr. Avoidance Extraordinaire. After Downing Street and his hesitation to hurl a bomb at the problem because she’d been in the room, he’d avoided her questions. After a Dalek had claimed she was the woman the Doctor loved, he’d hidden from her in one of the Tardis’ many rooms until she gave up the chase. She knew he felt _something_ for her, but he carefully kept his distance, never toeing over the just-friends line.

Except in a darkened hospital basement during the London Blitz. The memory of him not-dancing with her, gazing at her as if she were a forbidden piece of chocolate cake, always sent a shiver up her spine. He had looked like he’d been about to chuck away whatever rules he restrained himself with and press his lips to hers. She’d been seconds away from doing it herself. But then Jack had teleported them onboard his Chula ship and the spell had been broken. Until he’d twirled her around the console later that same day. But instead of acting on any snogging impulse he may have had, after only one dance he’d busied himself with a (supposedly) broken seismic scanner and instructed her to escort Jack to a room.

John had no reservations. He’d shamelessly flirted with her since day one. And forty-eight hours later, he’d taken the chance the Doctor hadn’t and asked her on a date.

~*~

_Rose was busy filing the day’s paperwork when she heard someone clear their throat. She flicked her eyes to the right and caught John standing by her desk, nervously wiping his greasy hands off with a rag._

_“Do you need something, John?”_

_“No… Yes. Erm…” The tips of his ears flushed red._

_After tucking away the last file, she turned to give him her full attention. “John?”_

_“Would you like to go to dinner with me? Tonight, maybe?” He shoved his hands in his pockets — soiled rag included —  and rocked nervously on his feet from ball to heel._

_Rose blinked. “What?”_ _  
_

_“Dinner? Maybe a film? If you don’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight, that is.” He grinned sheepishly._ _  
_

_“Like… like a date?”_

_“Yes.”_ _  
_

_The entire English language fled her brain, and she could only manage to stare at him._

_He took in a breath, clearly stealing himself for a speech. “I like you, Rose. A lot. You’re kind, funny, always able to calm down a flustered customer. Don’t know how you do that. Seem to anger them further, me. One word from you has them laughin’.” He cleared his throat again and swallowed heavily before continuing, “You’re beautiful. I’d love to take you out sometime. If you want.”_

_Still at a loss for words, Rose opened and closed her mouth like a ridiculous goldfish. Every cell in her body was screaming at her to say_ yes, yes, a thousand times yes _! How often had she dreamed about this moment with the Doctor? Dared to imagine he might ever put aside his disdain for domestics and whisk her away to a new planet for a romantic evening?_

_The mechanic’s coveralls and stubbly chin forced her brain to remember one important detail — this was John Smith. Human, not Time Lord._

_“Sorry,” John interrupted her internal struggle. “I thought that you… nevermind. Guess I got it wrong.” Rejected, he turned to walk away._

_“You didn’t get it wrong,” Rose finally blurted._ _  
_

_John spun back around.  “I didn’t?”_ _  
_

_“No but…” she paused, floundering for an explanation. “I would like to go out with you. But I can’t.”_

_“Oh.” His shoulders dropped._

_“I’m sorry.”_

_“No, no. It’s alright,” he assured her._

_“I do like you. I just can’t. Not right now.”_

_“Fair enough.” He pasted a smile on his face. “Guess I’ll dial down the flirtin’ then.”_

_“You, um…” She bit her lip, embarrassed. “You don’t have to. I don’t mind.”_

_“No?” He chuckled as she shook her head. “Well, let me know if you change your mind?”_

_Unable to help herself, she beamed at him, tongue poking through her teeth. “Count on it.”_

~*~

“Speaking of dreams.”

Rose jumped as John’s voice cut into her reverie. She shook herself out of it and bit into her sandwich.

“Had a funny one last night,” he continued. “Aliens in parliament usin’ people as a skin suit.”

“Aliens?” Jack straightened in his chair. He shot Rose a worried look.

She mirrored his concern. Was John supposed to remember? Would the Family be able to track them down if he suddenly regained his memories? Could he even do that without the watch? There were too many questions and no answers.

“Yeah, aliens. Bizarre, it was. Even more bizarre that Rickey was there!” John waved at the man to his left.

“It’s _Mickey_ ,” Mickey grumbled and stood, angrily tossing his half-eaten lunch in the bin on his way back to the garage.

“What were these aliens up to then?” Rob prodded, one skeptical brow arched high.

“Not sure. It was a bit jumbly. There was one of those old-fashioned Police Boxes, though.” John shrugged. “Remind me to lay off the whiskey, Jack.”

Jack laughed nervously. “Knew you couldn’t hold your liquor.”

With no more to say on the subject and finished with their lunches, Rob and John went back to work. As soon as they disappeared behind the glass partition, Jack turned to Rose. “Is he remembering?”

“I have no idea.” She swatted his arm. “Why are you givin’ him liquor?”

He smiled sheepishly. “Well, he’s human now. No Time Lord livers to get in the way of a good buzz. Besides, he’s not keen on sharing personal info. Thought the whiskey would loosen his tongue.” His smile grew larger. “All he did was talk about you.”

Rose blinked. “Me?”

“Yep!” He eyed her thoughtfully. “His video didn't mention the possibility of him regaining his memories. Maybe you should keep an eye on him in case he remembers more.”

“Why me? You already live with him.”

“True. But like I said, he’s not keen on the girl talk. I know he wants to ask you out again. If you were to date—”

“No.” She cut him off. “No, I can’t. It wouldn’t be right.”

“Rose—”

“No, he doesn’t know who he is!” she hissed. “If it was the Doctor askin’, then I’d say yes.”

“That man back there is still the Doctor in every way that counts. All that’s missing is his Time Lordy hangups. He’s infatuated with you, even in human form.”

“You don’t know that for certain. What if you’re wrong? What if he’s mad at me when he wakes up?”

Frustrated, Jack dragged a palm down his face. “You two are ridiculous. Deny, deny, deny. The sexual tension is going to kill me.” He sighed heavily. “Alright, answer me this— how many times have you two pretended to be married?”

“Three, maybe four? But that was only out of necessity.”

He smirked. “Not on Alpha-Dashiriin. There was no imminent threat there like the other times, even if that was the excuse the Doctor gave you. The only reason he introduced you as his wife was so he’d be allowed to hold your hand. I didn’t say anything because I thought it was just too cute.”

Rose bit her lip and glanced at John. He looked up at the same moment, catching her gaze with a bright smile. She had no idea if the Doctor would ever act on his thinly-veiled feelings for her. If he did want to change the nature of their relationship, wouldn’t it be wrong to do so now when she couldn’t ask? Even if his human-self was bursting to do more than hold her hand.

“Trust me, Rose,” Jack implored, gathering her in a friendly hug. “I’m not wrong.”

~*~

The rest of the afternoon was packed. Business had been booming since John and Jack had swanned in out of the blue. Word of the mechanics who were never wrong had spread like wildfire across the Estates. Every day was booked solid with desperate customers, all eager for the two mystery men to diagnose their vehicle’s ailments. There was a continuous line of broken cars in and out of the shop and a never-ending amount of calls to answer.

Today, Rose was thankful for the distraction. After her conversation with Jack at lunch, she’d slugged back a cup of coffee from the beverage cart and stationed herself at her desk. Thinking about how the Doctor might or might not feel about her romantically had given her a headache. So, she distracted herself by answering the phone with a too-cheery tone, helping customers with a too-wide smile, and gluing her foot to the ground so she wouldn’t swivel around in her chair and wave at John.

It had become a habit over the past month, to observe him through the glass partition. She couldn’t help herself. She had always watched the Doctor while he fixed bits and pieces on the Tardis and seeing him tinker on a car wasn’t much different. Other than the beard. And the blue coveralls that had no business being as alluring as they were.

When the last customer finally left, Rose flipped the door sign from “Open” to “Closed” and let out a sigh of relief. She was just gathering her purse, beyond ready to end the workday, when Mickey stomped into reception.

“Even as a human, he won’t stop!”

Rose frowned at his scowl. “You alright?”

“Did you _have_ to come here?” he angrily burst. “I was tryin’ to move on, tryin’ to get over you and you all blunder back into my life with himself human. All flirty with you. All _Rose_ this and _Rose_ that back there.”

“I’m sorry, Micks. The Tardis chose this place, not us.”

“Yeah, you’d never willingly come here again,” he grumbled.

“Oi! My mum’s here.”

“Doesn’t matter that I’m here, too, does it?” When she said nothing in response, Mickey nodded, his fury morphing to sadness. “It’s just hard, that’s all. You were with me not long ago. Now you’re with him.”

“We’re not together,” she corrected.

He snorted. “Maybe not right now. But you will be.”

Without another word, Mickey left. Consumed with guilt, Rose eyed his retreating back. She’d never meant to hurt him. They’d both made mistakes in their relationship, one that probably should never have happened. He was her oldest friend and she had never envisioned him as her boyfriend. But after the mess with Jimmy Stone had ended, Mickey had been there. Comfort and safety after months of pain. She had clung to him and he had let her. They were two lonely kids on the Estate who settled for each other because they both believed they’d never find someone else.

Rose blinked back tears and left the shop, desperately hoping she could salvage their fractured friendship.

~*~

Since the cabinets were dangerously low on tea, Rose stopped at Tesco on the way back to her mum’s flat. She plucked her favorite brand from the shelf and then headed straight to the frozen section. Ice cream. After the day she’d had, she desperately needed ice cream.

“Rose?”

She stopped abruptly and nearly dropped her basket. With a steadying breath, she turned to the voice that had called out to her. “Hi, John.”

“You ok?” he kindly asked, quickening his steps to stand beside her. “You look a bit frazzled.”

Rose shrugged. “Nothing sugar can’t fix. What brings you here?”

He lifted his basket with a grimace. “Frozen dinners.”

“Frozen dinners? That’s depressin’, that is.”

“Eh, easier than tryin’ to cook. Tried that once, me. Filled the flat with smoke. Jack ran outside naked.”

“I bet he wasn’t bothered.” She smiled at the mental image and yanked open a freezer door to peruse the dessert options.

Suddenly, John moved closer, so close she could feel the heat wafting off his body. “You know, Rose,” he whispered, “it’s dangerous for you to be here.”

“Oh?” she squeaked, shivering from more than the icy air hitting her face. “Why’s that then?”

“Because you could melt all this stuff,” he rumbled in her ear.

It took her a few seconds to process his words and then she began laughing. Loudly. Rose clutched her stomach, unable to control the giggles bursting from her throat. Her shoulders shook as she dropped a pint of ice cream into her basket. When she turned and caught John’s eye, she whooped again, swiping the moisture dripping from her eyes.

“That, that—” she drew in a lungful of air after a few more chuckles, “that was the cheesiest pick-up line I have _ever_ heard!”

“It’s awful,” he agreed, also laughing. “But now you’re smiling.”

Her stomach swooped. He’d made a complete fool of himself just to lighten her mood. The Doctor had done that on more than one occasion, cracking a joke in a tight spot to make her laugh.

It was in the frozen food section of Tesco where she realized Jack was right; John was just like the Doctor. He fiddled with a car the same way he fiddled under the Tardis console, though there were fewer sparks and zaps with a combustion engine. During the rare lull, he’d talk her ear off at reception, impressing her with his extensive knowledge. He still loved all her questions and beamed with pride whenever she caught on quicker than he had expected her to. And when it was quiet and he thought she wasn’t looking, John gazed at her like the Doctor always did. Eyes alight with a heart-stopping emotion she was terrified to name.

There was no need to be jealous of Jack’s bond with John. Somewhere deep down, buried beneath all the humanness, John knew her. It was as though the Doctor’s soul were bleeding through, remembering her despite the Tardis having forgotten to write her into John’s memories.

John cleared his throat. “Anyway. You looked sad. Thought you needed a laugh.”

“Ask me again,” Rose blurted.

He blinked in shock. “What?”

She giggled at his confusion. “Ask me out again.”

“Really? That horrendous line worked?”

“Only one way to find out.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Rose, will you go to dinner with me?”

“Tomorrow night work for you?”

He grinned in delight. “Tomorrow’s perfect.”

“Good. Until then…”

Before she lost the nerve, Rose pressed up on her toes and pecked his scruffy cheek. She scurried away down the aisle and glanced over her shoulder. John was rubbing the spot she’d kissed, staring at nothing with a dazed expression. When he realized he’d been caught, he sent her a shy wave and departed in the opposite direction, grinning like a loon.

She couldn’t predict the Doctor’s reaction when he was no longer human. But, at this moment, all he wanted in the world was to take her to dinner. There were no universal obligations or Time Lord rules holding him back. Even if she ended up with a broken heart, she’d be a fool not to savor it while it lasted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine John Smith as having the same short cropped hair, but he's got a nice beardy stubble. Because I have a *ahem*... thing... for a stubbly CE. *hides in a corner*
> 
> Also... I left a ridiculously cheesy pick up line in there. I must be old. No one has ever recognized the movie it's from XD


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait but all of your lovely comments made my heart so happy! Here's the next chapter :) The next one won't be as quick, though. Happy reading!

“Mum, I’m back!” Rose called out.

“Did you remember tea?” Jackie shouted from the living room.

“Yes!” she yelled back.

Rose smiled fondly as she shut the front door and made her way to the kitchen. Despite the fact you could whisper and be heard in the bathroom of the tiny flat (which had botched all of her teenaged attempts to sneak out and see boys), her mum had always chatted away loud enough to be heard five flats over. And thanks to the paper-thin walls, Jackie Tyler was the main reason gossip flew so fast on the Estates. It was a wonder the entire neighborhood was ignorant to the alien living among them.

Surprisingly, Jackie hadn’t blinked an eye when they’d first shown up with a human version of the Doctor. Explaining the situation had been difficult, but she’d been too happy to see her daughter again to pay attention to the details. In a rare act of affection, Jackie had even given Jack some of Pete’s old things (with a stern warning to return it all in one piece) so that their flat looked a little more like two men had been settled for a while. She’d said she didn’t want to chance the Doctor not believing his little human life. Rose had gotten misty-eyed, having believed her mum didn’t care about him at all. But she did, in her own way.

After putting away the shopping, Rose set the kettle to boil. It was a welcome part of her after-work routine; tea, food, telly, gossip with mum, more telly, and then bed — just like old times before she’d been whisked away in time and space, On the Tardis, she had her nightly cuppa in the galley after a whirlwind trip on a new planet the Doctor had or hadn’t meant to land on. He’d always joined her, chatting away over matching cups of Earl Grey and keeping her up until she’d practically fall asleep on the table. While she had missed her mum and the quirks of living on the Estates again, she sighed wistfully, missing her bigger-on-the-inside home.

Rose nearly burned herself on the hot kettle at the realization — home was no longer in the flat where she was raised from a baby, where Pete and Jackie Tyler had started a life together. She’d flown away from the nest towards her own life without noticing. Now, the Tardis was her home, sailing through the stars with the Doctor.

“Leftover shepherd’s pie ok?”

Head in the clouds, Rose jumped as her mum entered the kitchen. “Yeah sounds good.”

“I was thinkin’ of a roast for tomorrow. That alright?” Jackie plonked the sugar and milk on the counter, preparing both mugs of tea as she did every evening.

“Actually, I won’t be here tomorrow night.” Rose swallowed heavily, bracing for her mum’s reaction and a lecture about age gaps. “I have a date with John.”

Jackie sighed. “Knew it was only a matter of time before you were spendin’ all your hours with himself. Can’t keep away from him. Even when he’s human.”

“Jack thought it would be a good idea for me to date him. To keep an eye on him, ya know?”

“Sounds reasonable.”

Rose wrinkled her nose, perplexed. She had expected a bit of an argument, particularly since Jackie had left her handprint on the Doctor’s cheek not long ago. “Anyway, I just hope it’s a good idea. Wouldn’t want him angry at me later.”

Jackie snorted. “As if he’d ever be angry at  _ you.  _ But, speakin’ of angry men,” she set her mug down with pinched lips, “Jimmy came ‘round today.”

“What?” Dread pooled in Rose’s veins. “What did he want?”

She hadn’t seen her depraved ex-boyfriend since she’d finally gathered enough courage to ditch him over two years ago. For months, she had looked over her shoulder and around every corner, afraid he’d yank her back to his crusty bedsit at any moment. But he’d, surprisingly, left her alone. Until she had disappeared with a Doctor for a year. Mickey claimed Jimmy had finally shown up then, loitering around the garage in search of her, muttering about collecting what was his. The deadbeat still thought of her as his property, no matter where she went. But, last she heard through the gossip grapevine, he had shacked up with an older lady who had more money than common sense. No doubt he was only using the poor woman to fund his ill-conceived plans for rock star fame. If Rose knew Jimmy — and, unfortunately, she did — he had drained his current girlfriend’s bank account and was ready to move on. And Rose was, once again, his target.

“Oh, same as usual.” Jackie took Rose’s hand, squeezing once for comfort, and led them both to the sofa. “Wanted to see you. I tried to act like I didn’t know where you’d run off to, but he already knew you work at the garage now. Jack and himself have the whole estate talkin’. Two mysterious men showin’ up out of nowhere? Biggest bit of gossip to go ‘round since Mrs. Norris had an affair with the handyman.”

“Fantastic,” Rose bit out sarcastically, sinking into the cushions.

“Don’t worry. If he comes ‘round again I’ll slap him. Don’t need that nonsense. Now, enough about him,” Jackie diverted, eager to drop the unsettling news, “You should have everyone ‘round for tea this Sunday. Might be nice. Proper sit-down.”

“You want to cook for the Doctor? Jack and Mickey, too?”

“Why not? He’s human now, can’t swan off in his box like last time.” Jackie smirked to herself. “Besides, that Jack fellow is a bit of alright. Nice bum.”

“Mum!”

“What? Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed he’s quite fit. If you’re goin’ to be oglin’ the Doctor it’s only fair I get my own eye candy.”

“Oh, my God,” Rose mumbled and covered her face in embarrassment. “I don’t  _ ogle _ him.”

Jackie only laughed loudly in response and switched on the telly.

~*~

When Rose arrived for work the next morning, Jack, Mickey, and Rob were already hammering away in the back. Oddly, John hadn’t arrived yet. He was normally the first there and the last to leave. She was about to ask Jack why he’d let John wander off (goodness knows what sort of trouble he'd blunder into on his own) when the door opened and John waltzed in whistling a merry tune. He beamed at her and she smiled back, relieved to see him unharmed.

The reason for his tardiness was immediately explained by the colorful coffee cup in his hand. It was from the posh cafe two blocks over. She loved to swing by there but most mornings she was running too late to indulge in their superior brew.

Rose eyed him curiously. “I’ve never seen you drink coffee.”

“Oh, I don’t,” he stated casually, eyes twinkling, and then offered the cup to her.

“It’s for me?”

“Yep.” His grin stretched wider, obviously pleased with his surprise.

Rose accepted the cup gratefully and drew in a lungful of the heavenly, caffeine-laced aroma. “How’d you know I like their lattes?”

“Observant, me. Especially of a lovely lady.”

“Oh? Got your eye on one then?”

He smirked and leaned closer into her space. “I may be seein’ a gorgeous blonde later.”

“So you decided to butter her up with caffeine? Hopin’ to keep her stamina up?” She tucked her tongue between her teeth, teasing him with a flirty smile.

The look he gave her in return could only be described as smouldering. He eyed her up and down like a panther itching to pounce its prey. And then he placed a hand on her hip, head dipping down until his breath ghosted the shell of her ear. Her skin tingled and shivered. She cursed the immediate and obvious effect he had on her body.

“Pick you up at seven?” he whispered.

She could only manage a breathy  _ ok  _ in response. With a throaty chuckle, he stepped back and disappeared, leaving her trembling in want by her desk. Mercifully, the phone rang and Rose snapped out of her lust-clogged trance. Before she could answer, she caught Jack pumping his fist triumphantly in the air. She glared playfully at him and picked up the receiver, squeaking several times before her voice settled.

~*~

It was nearly time for the shop to close for lunch when a loud crash rattled the building. A howl of pain pierced Rose’s ears and she bolted to the back. Panic seized her heart when she discovered Mickey sprawled on the concrete floor with blood gushing from his hand. Jack raced by her and dropped to his knees by Mickey's side, fumbling with a first aid kit.

“What happened?” Rose cried.

“The jack slipped,” John explained. He attempted to help Mickey sit but the injured man growled and shrugged him off.

Rob was more successful, reaching a hand out and gently assisting Mickey into a seated position. “Lucky you weren’t all the way under, mate.”

“Still caught a jagged piece of metal on this bloody hunk of junk.” Mickey hissed and clenched his jaw as Jack wrapped a bandage tightly around his palm as a temporary tourniquet.

“It looks pretty deep,” Jack worried. “I think you’re gonna need stitches.”

“I’ll take him to the A&E,” John volunteered.

Mickey glared at John, forcefully shaking his head. “No.”

“No? You can’t exactly drive your—”

“I don’t want  _ your _ help, you bloody alien!” Mickey barked.  

Rose and Jack sucked in a shocked breath at the outburst. But John only looked at Mickey in confusion.

“I’ll take you,” Rob offered in the silence. Cursing under his breath, Mickey stood on shaky legs and allowed Rob to lead him out of the shop.

John scratched his head. “I know he’s in pain, but a jab at me ears was a bit harsh.”

Glad he’d registered  _ alien  _ as nothing but an insult about his looks, Rose chuckled nervously. “He was probably a bit dizzy from blood loss.” And as soon as the idiot was patched up, she had a few choice words for Mickey over his slip-up.

“Don’t worry, John,” Jack chimed in, “I think the ears are sexy.”

John rolled his eyes but managed to crack a smile. “So you’ve said.  _ Many  _ times.” His grin morphed into a grimace as he observed the blood-soaked ground. “Have we got any bleach?”

~*~

With two men down, it took longer to clean up from Mickey’s accident than they had anticipated. Apologizing profusely and offering coupons, Rose had rescheduled the remaining customers. Most had been understanding but a few surly ones had drained all her remaining patience and energy. And she still had a mountain of paperwork to sort.

Rubbing an aching temple, Rose gathered a stack of papers and meandered over to the filing cabinet. Just as she leaned down to pull the bottom drawer out, John announced his presence with a polite cough. She peaked at him over her shoulder. His ears had gone pink and he was pointedly looking up at the lights. Odd. Just this morning, he’d brazenly used one touch on her hip to render her speechless. Now, he was visibly flustered over the sight of her bum in the air.

Amused, Rose straightened. “It’s not polite to stare.”

His lip twitched. “Not starin’, me. Nope. Nothin’ to look at here. Not that you aren’t worth a look. Not that I’d look.” He cleared his throat awkwardly and stopped counting the ceiling tiles. “I’ve put my foot in it, haven’t I?”

“A bit, yeah.” She giggled. “You’re allowed to look.”

“Didn’t want to seem like a lecherous fool.”

“That would make two of us, then. I’m certainly guilty of eyein’ you bent over an engine.”  _ Or the Tardis console _ , she added to herself.

He blinked in surprise. “Really?”

“What? You’d think I’d go to dinner with a bloke I didn’t find attractive?”

“Thought maybe my charm was bigger than me nose.”

Rose shook her head and boldly sauntered up to him until her chest brushed his. “Trust me,” she lifted up on her toes and whispered in his ear, “I think you’re  _ very  _ fit.”

A shiver rippled up his body. She cheered to herself, relishing the small bit of flirty revenge. She’d never been this brazen around the Doctor before, too afraid to make a fool of herself. Maybe, when he changed back, she’d do it again just to see if his pupils dilated as large as John’s currently were, if he also unsubtly licked his lips.

“So,” Rose abruptly backed away and nearly laughed out loud as he swayed forward, “see you at seven?”

“Ye—” he covered a girlish squeak with a cough. “Yes.”

Cheeks now as red as his ears, John crossed over to the shop entrance, briefly pushing instead of pulling at the door, and disappeared into the sunny afternoon.

A slow clap filled the room. Rose twirled around and grinned innocently at Jack.

“You used your womanly wiles to turn the Doctor into a puddle of goo.” He shook his head with a chuckle. “I don't know if I should be jealous or proud.”

“Can't remember the last time I flirted like this,” she confessed, loving the buzz of adrenaline in her system. “No idea what came over me.”

“Tall, dark, and handsome came over you.”

They both burst out laughing at the innuendo.

Still giggling, Rose grabbed a tissue and dabbed at the moisture in her eyes. “You’re horrible.”

“You love it.” Jack winked and held open the door. “I’m going to use my free afternoon to visit the Tardis. Would you like to join me?”

“I should find out how Mickey’s doin’.” Rose slipped by him and squinted against the daylight. “Plus, I need to get ready for my date.”

“Of course, of course.” He offered his arm and escorted her down the block. “Don’t forget to wax.”

Lips twisted in amusement, Rose swatted his shoulder.

~*~

Uncomfortably perched on an exam table, Mickey fumed as he waited for the doctor to stitch his palm. Five more minutes. That’s all he could stand. Whoever the self-important medical professional was in this establishment obviously didn’t own a bloody watch. Over an hour he’d been squatting, his agitation ticking up with every tock of the clock. Reliving his embarrassing accident and the dumbfounded look on the Doctor's —  _ John's _ — face.

All of time and space available to the Tardis, and it  _ had _ to land on the Estates.

He used to love going into work. But this past month had been a plot set to test his patience. He’d finally made his peace with the fact that Rose wasn’t ever coming home. But then the entire Tardis gang or team or whatever they called themselves had swooped in and ripped open his barely healed wounds. It was easy to forget about his ex-girlfriend and her dashing alien chauffeur when she was off in space but now he had a front-row ticket to this _John_ bloke flirting with her at every available opportunity. Right under his nose! They all acted like he didn’t even exist. Barely making conversation as they labored the day away together. He was just a man in the background, conveniently available as nothing more than a computer hacker or compliant co-worker should the need arise.

Before the meddlesome Time Lord had rattled his life, he’d been happy. Cozy. A girlfriend who loved him. A steady job. No debt. He had nearly saved up enough to get a bigger flat. Then his girlfriend had abandoned him in an alleyway for a stranger she had just met. And she’d disappeared for a bloody year. As if that wasn’t upsetting enough, her harpy of a mother had accused him of murdering her daughter and alienated him from nearly all his friends and family. Even though Rose had returned unscathed, the damage had been done. No one trusted him like they used to.

He sighed and shifted on the crinkly paper. If he was being honest with himself, he’d admit that he and Rose were on the outs long before the Doctor had ever caught her eye. Their relationship had been built on her sadness and his loneliness. It was doomed to fail from the start. But it had still stung when she’d so easily abandoned him for something better. He did love her, after all. Deeply. Just not in a romantic way, not anymore.

Not that he’d admit it to the man who stole her from him. Maybe if the git could ever get his name right.

“Mickey Smith?”

A pleasing feminine voice interrupted his broody thoughts and the exam room curtain parted. Mickey’s mouth popped open. Before him stood the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She was perfect — dark hair that glittered under the fluorescent lights, skin so smooth it looked like velvet, and a smile that brightened her already bright eyes.

“Mickey Smith?” she repeated, eyebrow quirked.

“T-that’s me,” he stuttered.

“I’m Dr. Martha Jones.” She offered her hand to his uninjured one.

“Ok?” he dumbly stated, hoping his palm wasn’t sweaty against hers.

Smiling sweetly, Martha turned to wash her hands and then snapped on a pair of medical gloves. “Shouldn’t take too many stitches. I’ll have you patched up in a jif.”

Mickey nodded and watched her wheel over an instrument tray. And then every coherent thought in his brain vanished as she gently cradled his hand in hers. He barely felt the prick of the syringe full of anesthetic, too focused on her chocolate-colored eyes. When his limb was numb, she gathered the sutures and began closing the cut with a steady hand.

“So,” Martha piped up in the silence, “is your girlfriend waiting for you in the lobby?”

“What? No!” Mickey swiftly corrected. “Definitely no girlfriend.”

She smiled and peaked up at him through her lashes. “Good to know.”

Mickey grinned shyly back. “Uh huh… good.”

As he watched Martha stitch his wound, sparks shooting along his skin at every point she touched, he finally understood how Rose had ducked out of London with a stranger.

~*~

After the Doctor had transformed, the Tardis had landed herself inside Jackie’s storage unit. It was a great little hiding spot even though the ship had accidentally crushed some boxes of old tracksuits. Wedged between Pete’s old bowling trophies and a broken rowing machine, only Jack and Rose knew she was there. Rose had insisted Jackie would never stumble into it since her mum hadn’t visited the unit in years, but Jack had installed a perception filter anyway. Just in case. When it came to the Doctor and the Tardis, every precaution was necessary.

Jack pulled out his key and patted the blue wood fondly. “Sorry I haven’t been by in a while.”

With a quick twist of the lock, he flung open the door and waltzed up the ramp. Since the ship was hibernating on emergency power, only a few dim bulbs lit his path. But the time rotor still pulsed faintly to greet him.

“Hello, good lookin’.” Jack caressed a coral strut as he hopped on the jumpseat. “I’m happy to report that Rose and the Doctor have a date.”

The rotor brightened a bit more at the news.

“I’m excited, too! They've been dancing around each other since I’ve been on board. I can only imagine what you’ve been through.”

A short, high-pitched hum echoed in the room, as if the ship was equally perturbed with her traveling companions. Jack couldn’t blame her. They were maddening! He’d never seen two people so perfect for each other but so reluctant to do anything about it. From the very first time he’d set foot on the Tardis, the sexual tension glared at him — as did the Doctor. The mad Time Lord hadn’t let Rose out of his grasp, dipping and twirling her around the console. Taking the few moments not focused on Rose to shoot him a steely, blue-eyed stare that shouted  _ hands off the blonde _ . Jack got the message loud and clear. He just didn’t understand why the Doctor and Rose weren’t properly together already.

Jack frowned at the time rotor, wishing he could hear the ship properly. “What’s he so scared of, anyway?”

A low, somber whine was his only answer.

Unable to decipher the sound, Jack shrugged. “As frustrating as he is, I do miss the leather. He doesn’t wear it as John.”

Feeling nostalgic, he stood and swivelled the scanner around. A queued video began to play when he switched on the screen.

“Right then,” the Doctor filled the monitor, fiddling with the camera behind the scenes, “is this blasted thing workin’? It’ll have to do.” He huffed and straightened his jacket. “Rose, Jack, before I change here’s a list of instructions for when I’m human. One: don’t let me hurt anyone. Can’t have that but you know how short-tempered you apes are. And I’ll be one of you.” He grimaced. “Two: don’t worry about the Tardis. I’ll put her on emergency power. Just let her hide away. Three: no gettin’ involved in big historical events. I have no idea where we’re headed but don’t mess about with history. Keep an eye on Jack, would ya Rose? Number four: The Tardis should have had enough time to set us up with lodgin’ and employment, but I have no idea who I’ll be when I wake up or if I’ll even know who you are.  _ Don’t _ let me abandon you. Stay close.”

Jack laughed and fast-forwarded through the middle. “As if you’d ever abandon Rose.”

The video started again, the Doctor looking more serious this time. “And twenty-three: if anything goes wrong, if they find us, then you need to open the watch. Everything I am is kept safe in there. I’ve put a perception filter on it so the human me won’t think anything of it. To him, it’ll just be a watch. But don’t open it unless you absolutely  _ have  _ to. Once it’s open, the Family will be able to find me. It’s all down to you two.” He moved to switch off the camera but paused. “Oh, and thanks for lookin’ out for me.”

With a daft grin, the Doctor turned off the feed and the video ended.

Jack smiled sadly and switched off the monitor. He put on a brave front for Rose’s benefit but, inside, he was twisted in unease. Two more months, that’s all they had left and then the Doctor would return. Then he could stop looking over his shoulder for any sign of the Family. He was owed a leisure planet full of debauchery, fine food, and flowing spirits. And then he’d shove Rose and the Doctor together before the tension killed him.


	3. Chapter 3

Clothes and shoes flew into the air, landing in the nooks and crannies of the bedroom while Rose frantically excavated her closet. Despite the selection of dresses, tops, skirts, and trousers, she feared she had nothing to wear to dinner. She’d become used to the Tardis’ wardrobe brimming with every garment imaginable; Roman togas, flapper dresses, kimonos, and even a bionic chicken suit. Compared to that literal never-ending selection, her current options were limited. Plus, this closet was stocked with far too much pink. 

She also hadn’t been able to get in touch with Mickey and check on him. All four of her calls had gone straight to voicemail. All of her texts remained unanswered. Her worry over his injury and their fragile friendship did nothing to help her hunt for appropriate date attire.

“Rose,” Jackie huffed and peeked into the chaos, “what on Earth are you doin’ in here? Startin’ a drumline?”

“Haven’t got any cymbals,” Rose retorted dryly, chucking an old red top over her shoulder. She sat back on her haunches with a scowl. “There’s nothing decent to wear in here. All my good clothes are on the Tardis.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake! Suddenly too good for your old things? Has all that fancy space travel given you airs and graces?”

Grinding her teeth, Rose didn’t respond and resumed her hunt. Right this moment, her skittish nerves couldn’t handle a well-meaning but exasperating lecture over her supposed blunders in life. Not when she was getting ready for a date with the Doctor’s human alter-ego.

“Don’t know why you’re fussin’,” Jackie chimed in, never able to suffer a length of silence. “After all, you could wear a bin bag and that alien would still want in your knickers.”

“Mum!” Rose whirled around, mouth gaping. “I’m not tryin’ to seduce him!”

“Pull the other one,” Jackie mumbled. “Where’s he takin’ you, anyway?”

“I dunno, I didn’t think to ask.” She held up a grey pencil skirt and floral-printed blouse. “S’pose this’ll do.”

“Oh, that’s cute.” Jackie tilted her head to the side, squinting. “Wait, didn’t I get that for you last Christmas? The tag’s still on!”

“Sorry, Mum. Micks never took me anywhere other than the pub. Their dress code only stipulated pants and shoes. Which was taken literally on occasion.” She shuddered at the mental image of old men in their stained skivvies. “There isn’t enough bleach in the world.”

Grimacing, Jackie left her daughter to change. Rose glanced at the clock and panicked — she only had twenty minutes! After swiftly peeling off her clothes, she shimmied the skirt up her thighs and tugged on her top. Then, she slid into her shoes and dashed for the vanity. Just as she had finished a light touch of makeup, the front buzzer rang.

Heart pounding, Rose sprinted out of the bedroom, hoping to save John from the Jackie Tyler Inquisition, but her mum was already there. Jackie swung open the front door and immediately raked a calculating gaze over the man in the hall.

“Hello, Jackie. Is Rose home?” John asked with a polite grin.

“That depends.”

His smile dimmed. “On what?”

“On your answers.” Jackie folded her arms and cocked a hip. “Where’re you takin’ my daughter?”

“To dinner, ma’am.”

“What restaurant?”

“The new Italian place four blocks over.”

“That all?”

Unprepared for the barrage of questions, John shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “No, thought we might catch a film after.”

“Have her home by midnight.” Jackie pointed a menacing finger in his face.

He gulped. “Yes, ma’am. Midnight.”

“And if there’s any funny business, I’ll slap you.”

He flinched slightly, as though he remembered the slap she had already delivered. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Alright,” Jackie’s scowl flipped into a sweet smile, “c’mon in then.”

Jackie gestured inside and John stepped over the threshold. He hesitated to go much further than the hallway so Jackie swept past him with an impish grin, pleased with her motherly scare tactics. Before Jackie could interrogate either of them further, Rose caught John’s elbow, bid her mum goodbye, and rushed out of the flat.

“Sorry ‘bout that. She’s more bark than bite.” Rose locked the door and spun around to find John staring at her, mouth open.

“Blimey!” His gaze trailed slowly up and down her body. “You look beautiful!”

Rose blushed and reflexively smoothed her skirt. “Considerin’?”

“What?” His eyes met hers, forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Considerin’ what?”

“Nothing. Nevermind.” She smiled, amused by the reverse déjà vu. She finally took in his appearance and barely resisted the impulse to launch herself at him. “You clean up  _ very _ well.”

It was an understatement. The Doctor wore nothing but dark, loose-fitting clothing and his heavy leather jacket. Not that she didn’t love the jacket. In fact, she missed the smell of leather so much her heart ached. But the coat was slightly too big for him, swallowing and hiding his deceptively athletic frame like a suit of armor. And she had only seen John swathed head to toe in his baggy coveralls.

Now, his runner’s body was on full display. Pressed navy trousers hung perfectly from his hips and wrapped snugly around his muscular thighs. A pale, sky-colored button-up shirt stretched over his chest, highlighting the lean torso she'd only seen in her wildest fantasies. The entire outfit was tailored to perfection like a second skin and made his blue eyes sparkle even brighter than they already were.

Rose fervently hoped she wasn’t drooling because he looked positively edible.

Ears tinged red, John cleared his throat. “Restaurant’s not far if you’d like to walk. Or I can hail us a cab.”

“A walk would be lovely.”

With a charming grin, he held out his hand. She knitted their fingers together without hesitation and nearly sobbed at the contact. For four weeks, she’d missed his palm against hers. Wherever they went, no matter if they were sprinting from danger or strolling along a serene beach, their hands always wound up tied together. John was slightly warmer than the Doctor, but his touch still infused her heart with comfort and security — as though his hand in hers was all she needed to be safe in this world.

Every few minutes, almost like clockwork, John’s thumb brushed along hers. The first sweep had startled her as the Doctor had never done that before, and it planted their hand-holding into a definitely-not-just-friends realm. She’d never felt so cherished from such a simple gesture. With a ridiculous smile stretched across her face, Rose intentionally strolled slower than normal, wanting nothing more than to stay in this tiny bubble where his skin tingled innocently but intimately along hers.

But her euphoric mood shattered as they approached the playground and she froze in place.

Two new words were hastily spray-painted on the brick wall behind the swings. Two words that would have been harmless on their own but, scrawled together in jagged, splattered lines, they turned her blood cold.

_ Bad Wolf. _

It was the fourth time she’d heard or seen the words since she’d met the Doctor. She’d voiced her concern in Cardiff but the Doctor had dismissed any possible threat, had laughed it off even. But here it was again! It couldn’t be a coincidence. This ominous phrase was definitely following them. Did it have something to do with the Family? After all, the Doctor had said they possessed a vortex manipulator. Could they be taunting them through time?

“Rose?” John’s face entered her vision, cutting off her line of sight to the graffiti. “Rose, are you alright?”

She blinked and shook her head. “Sorry, yeah. Thought I saw a… um… a rat.”

“A rat?” He scanned the area in search of the rodent.

“Gone now.”

He didn’t look entirely convinced, but he didn’t ask any further questions of her. Instead, he retook her hand — she hadn’t even noticed she’d let go — and resumed their stroll. Rose looked back, hoping in vain she had actually hallucinated, but the yellow letters glared back.

_ Bad Wolf. _

Teeth gritted in annoyance, she cursed the erroneous reference to a childhood fairytale. It used to be her favorite story. Not anymore. Now wolves and Little Red Riding Hood could sod off. She was supposed to be having a magical evening out with John, not letting silly little words frazzle her nerves. But she knew by now that nothing could be easy when it came to the Doctor, not even a date.

~*~

John did his best to resume the pleasant conversation they’d been having, but whatever Rose had seen was still bothering her. Given that she kept looking over her shoulder, he doubted it was an innocuous rat as she had claimed. But he didn’t know her well enough to push the issue.

Or did he?

Even though he’d only met her a month ago, he felt like he’d known her for years. At least, his body sure seemed to think he knew her. The first time he had seen her in the shop, he’d suddenly had the urge to take her hand. It unsettled him. Why would he have a nearly overwhelming  _ need  _ to take a stranger’s — albeit a beautiful stranger’s — hand?

And then she’d smiled at him and he’d stopped breathing. Somehow, he knew her smile, knew she was going to poke her tongue through her teeth. He had nearly bolted out the door when she had done exactly that. Instead, he’d stared at her as his pulse skyrocketed, shuffling through his foggy brain in search of her. To his dismay, no such memory existed. It felt… wrong, like she was supposed to be a part of his past, present, and future.

They’d barely spoken that first day, but he’d known then that he needed her like air. Simply being in the same room as her infused him with an unfamiliar sense of belonging and warmth. He craved it. A ridiculous part of his mind whispered things like  _ soulmates  _ and  _ love  _ but he forced it down. When had he become a romantic sap?

Fanciful notions aside, Rose was upset now and the troubled look on her face cut him to the core. An instinctual part of him yearned to tear the city to pieces in search of whatever threat had caused her to look like she’d seen a ghost.

Instead of being a barbarian on a warpath, John settled for a funny story to lighten Rose’s spirits. “Did I ever tell you about the time I fought off a bear… naked?”

Her brow flew to her hairline. “Naked?”

After confessing to an ill-advised inspection of a bee’s nest which led to angry wasps zipping and zinging up his trousers, she doubled over in laughter. It was one of his most embarrassing moments, one he didn’t tell many people, but he trusted Rose. And it was worth the humiliation to see the flush of merriment on her cheeks replace the tension in her shoulders.

Her giggles finally subsided as they reached their destination. “Why’d you disturb a bunch of wasps anyhow?”

He shrugged and held open the door. “Mistook it for a honeybee nest. Won’t catch me doin’ that again.”

The hostess sat them at a cozy table towards the back and by a large window overlooking the busy London street. As he took in the atmosphere, John worried it was a bit too intimate for a first date; there was light jazz playing through the speakers, decorative fairy lights strung about, and candles between the couples — the bit-too-obviously affectionate couples — on every table. But Rose gave him a warm smile as he pulled out her chair, and he decided he’d willingly be a walking, talking romantic cliché anytime and anywhere for her.

“So, have you always been a mechanic?” Rose asked as she eyed her menu.

“No, I’m actually a Doctor.” Registering no surprise on her face — most people were surprised—  John continued, “I have a doctorate in astronomy and physics. Used to be a teacher, me.”

She tilted her head to the side, curious. “Why aren’t you one now?”

“Got tired of the students. Silly little apes.” He paused in concern as Rose choked on a gulp of water. “Felt like they were all more interested in parties than learnin’. I like workin’ with me hands, anyway. So, I quit and found a garage in need of help. Good thing I did, because I met you on my first day.” He smiled softly at her. “Best decision I ever made.”

Rose blushed and bit her lip on a wide grin. Their waitress politely interrupted to take their orders — chicken parmigiana and lasagna — and by the time she left, Rose’s normal pink and yellow hue had returned.

“Sorta funny we started on the same day, innit?” John mused.

Rose lowered her eyes and fiddled with the silverware. “Just a coincidence.”

“So, how ‘bout you? Where’d you work before?”

“Oh, nowhere special.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Just Henrick’s.”

Suddenly, the restaurant blurred away as John’s vision filled with a dark basement. He had just finished rigging an explosive and was rushing toward the exit. Movement caught his eye. A frightened, blonde-haired woman was trembling in a corner — the same woman he dreamed about each night. Shop window dummies surrounded her, arms raised to attack. He grabbed her hand.

_ Run. _

Another patron laughed, popping the odd, daydream bubble John had fallen into. He shook his head and frowned at the prickling sensation in his fingers.

“Anyway,” Rose’s voice floated into his ears and he focused his attention back to his date, “when the shop blew up I had to find employment elsewhere. The garage was the first openin’ I found.”

“Blew up?” John asked dumbly.

“Yeah, you didn’t know that?” She wiggled uncomfortably in her seat and went a bit pale, like a child who had accidentally tattled. “Um, gas leak. Old buildin’ and all. It was in the papers.”

“Huh. Musta missed it. Head in the clouds, that’s me.”

The waitress reappeared with their food and John watched in amusement as Rose immediately tucked in. He took a moment to thank his lucky stars that she had agreed to accompany him this evening. And he fervently hoped there would be many more shared dinners, lunches, breakfasts and any other meal in between. After a month of wondering if she'd ever be ready to go out with him, she was finally here! Every part of him yearned to be near her, to know everything about her. He felt like he was going to burst with happiness with each glance at her across the table.

After the shop had closed earlier in the day, he’d immediately run back to his flat to shower and get dressed. He’d forgotten it was only a bit after lunch and had nearly skipped across the courtyard to her flat six hours early. When the time had finally come, he’d forced himself to walk, fighting the urge to run to her. He couldn't remember a time when he'd been this bloody excited for a date!

John’s thoughts drifted back to the terrifying encounter with Jackie Tyler. “Is it just you and your mum then?”

Rose nodded but a small frown tugged at her mouth. “Yeah, my dad died when I was a baby.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. What happened? If you don’t mind my askin’, that is.”

As John listened to Rose describe a horrific hit and run accident, her voice muffled and then faded away. She disappeared and was replaced by a nightmarish winged beast, snarling and snapping its jaw as it hovered above him.

It was a dream he'd had before. He was trapped in a church, no idea how he'd gotten there, but his arms were flung open to protect the crowd behind him. Especially the blonde. She was all that mattered. He may die here and now but, so long as she remained, he would find peace in the world beyond. The creature screeched and he planted himself more firmly in front of her, ignoring her shouts of protest. He breathed his last breath as a toothy maw unhinged and dove down sharply to devour him.

_ Doctor! _

“John?”

John blinked and the church vanished.

Rose’s lips were pursed in concern. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, sorry. Just… rememberin’ a dream.”

It struck him then, as Rose continued to look at him with a furrowed brow, her hair glowing gold in the candlelight, that she was an exact copy of the woman in his nightly fantasies. The blonde woman he couldn't live without.

Rose took a bite of her food, chewed slowly as she eyed him thoughtfully, and then washed it down with a gulp of water. “Do you have a lot odd of dreams?”

“I… do,” he admitted carefully. Even though he liked to joke about it at the shop, he never divulged the bizarre details. Surely, if they knew the truth of the strange worlds and creatures he greeted during sleep, everyone would think he was a nutter. But something in his gut told him Rose wouldn’t. “Would you like to hear about them?”

She smiled and rested her chin in her hand. “Yeah. Go on then.”

The invitation and her eager grin bolstered his nerves, and he started his story, “I dream that I have two hearts.”

John went on to confide his nightly alter-ego; the Doctor, an alien from a different world with a strange blue ship in the shape of a Police Public Call box. He could go anywhere and any time in the universe at the snap of a finger. Quite often, he’d wind up where he hadn’t meant to but would be needed at that exact moment, as though the silly blue box knew more than he did. And he travelled with lots of different people but never for long. They all left him, in the end, either because they should or because death had claimed them.

As he described some of the different planets and species he had seen, Rose leaned further towards him. Instead of looking scared or confused or put off, her eyes were wide in unrestrained delight, fascinated by the tale he weaved.

“It sounds so…” Rose drew in a breath and let it out in a slow, wistful sigh, “fantastic.”

John grinned like a loon. “It is. You’re there, too.”

“Me?”

“I think it’s you. I have this companion of sorts. Young, blonde, looks exactly like you.” He leaned his elbows on the table and watched the candlelight dance in her eyes. “You’re literally the woman of my dreams.”

A blush tinted her skin and she tucked a hair behind her ear.

“Would you come with me?” he asked on a whim. “If that fantasic life were true?”

“Yeah, I think I would.” Her smile blinded him as her tongue poked through her teeth, a quick flash of pink that always made his brain fizzle. “Might have to ask me twice though.”

John laughed uproariously, causing the old couple in the table beside them to jump in alarm. But he didn’t care. His heart was full and Rose was giggling with him. As long as she looked like this, eyes bright with glee, all was right with the world.

~*~

As the evening waned and they finished dinner in favor of heading to the cinema, Rose realized this was the best date she’d ever had. Jimmy’s idea of a good time had been one rushed outing to get chips before he stopped taking her anywhere, expecting her to be satisfied with his presence alone. Mickey had at least taken her out often, but it was always to the same grimy pub to watch the match.

She didn’t want the night to end, but it had to at some point. At least she’d succeeded in her mission; he’d talked about his dreams. While she was worried about the detail he had retained, it didn’t seem to be a problem — he was still human, still one heart, still warm to the touch. As long as he stayed that way, he was safe from the Family.

John swung their conjoined fingers between them as they chatted easily, meandering on the path back to the estates. He really was the Doctor in every way that counted only lighter, not weighed down by the responsibilities he shouldered for the entire universe. And he was not shy with his affections; he’d wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kept it there for the entire film, driving her half-mad as one finger trailed circles and swirls through the thin fabric covering her arm. More than once, she’d contemplated ignoring the screen in favor of hopping on his lap to snog him senseless. But she held onto her sanity. Barely.

All too soon, they were standing at the door to her flat.

John smiled shyly at her. “I had a good time, Rose.”

She grinned back. “Me, too.”

“Can I take you out again sometime?”

“Yeah, that would be lovely.”

A stray hair drifted across her forehead and he swept it back in place. “Can I kiss you?”

Rose’s belly fluttered.  _ Kiss her? _ She hadn’t prepared for kissing. How had she not planned for this very normal conclusion to a wonderful date? Would it be wrong? Could she explain it to the Doctor later as a customary social convention?

Her head swam with all the ways this could backfire on her later and she was about to gently reject him when she caught his gaze; it was the same one that had lit her skin on fire during the London Blitz. She was helpless against the blatant want and longing in his eyes.

Too dazed to articulate words, Rose nodded. It felt like an eternity and no time at all before John was leaning in.

She’d had her fair share of kisses over the years. Some were shy presses of lips and nervous giggles. Some were messy and uncoordinated, tongues ramming down her throat without finesse. Then there had been the heated snogging that traded emotion for one carnal goal. None of them had ever satisfied her like the fluffy passages in her romance novels.

But this kiss…  _ oh …  _ it was storybook perfect.

John cupped her cheek, fingers tangling in her hair, and cradled her top lip delicately between his. He breathed in deeply, chilling the skin by her nose, and then repositioned to suck her bottom lip in a deeper kiss. A tiny whimper escaped her mouth without permission and he wound an arm around her back, pulling her closer into the warmth of his body. Knees suddenly weak, Rose clung to his neck. She struggled not to quiver from head to toe, drunk on excitement and the sensuous feel of his lips sliding along hers, tasting and caressing as though she were a forbidden treat he’d craved all his life.

Before she was ready to let go, he pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. Their shaky breaths mingled together and Rose slowly opened her eyelids — when had she closed them? — to stare into the bottomless blue depths of the Doctor’s irises. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled softly at her, twinkling again with an emotion she dared to be true.

No, this was John. But it was hard to remember anything after being so thoroughly devoured.

John lightly pecked the corner of her mouth and stepped back. Rose trembled slightly, already bereft of his radiating heat.

Still grinning, he tucked his hands into his pockets. “Goodnight, Rose.”

As John walked away, she nearly called out to him but found he had stolen her voice along with all the air in her lungs. She finally managed to pull in a wobbly breath as he disappeared down the stairwell. And then she realized she hadn’t moved an inch. Shaking herself from her kiss-induced trance, Rose keyed open the lock and slipped into the flat. The door was barely closed before she collapsed against the wood and slid to the floor. She giggled to herself, dizzy and delirious, completely high from one kiss goodnight.

Rose had no idea what would happen when this was all over. But one thing was certain; the Doctor — and now John — owned her heart. And when the watch was opened, there was no way she could go on pretending she wasn’t completely, irrevocably, in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to go back and make a teeny, tiny change to some dialogue in chapter one for continuity. Otherwise, this is slowly but surely coming together. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for mentions of a past abusive relationship

The sky seemed brighter on Friday morning as Rose strolled to work. Birds chirped merrily along with her whistled tune. Rays of sun warmed her skin. On every tenth step, she allowed herself to yield to the impulse to  _ skip-a-dee-skip.  _ She was fairly sure she was acting like a cartoon princess, only needing a gauzy, bubblegum-pink dress to complete her syrupy mood. 

If she wanted to tether herself to Earth, she could. She knew today wasn’t any different than the last. She knew the London streets were just as gray as they were yesterday and the day before. But she quite liked the feeling of floating on air to work, still bubbly on the inside from her date with John.

Even the jingling of the bell sounded more lively than before as Rose pushed the door open into reception. To her delight, the cause of her sunny disposition was fixing a cup of tea at the beverage cart.

“Good mornin’, Rose,” John greeted, his back facing her.

“Good mornin’. How’d you know it was me?”

He turned with a sheepish grin, a steaming mug in each hand. “Lucky guess. Well, not really. Already said hello to Jack, Rob, and the newspaper boy.” He offered her one of the cups. “Process of elimination?”

Rose laughed and accepted the warm beverage. A cautious sip told her it was made to perfection. Not only did John know her coffee order, he had also noticed she liked one cream and two sugars in her tea. Or, he had retained the Doctor’s knowledge of her morning addiction. Either way, he was thoughtful enough to have the blessed caffeine ready for her as soon as she walked in and it melted her heart.

As Rose deposited her purse on the desktop, she spotted a vase next to her keyboard. “What’s this?” She plucked the pink, long-stemmed flower in her grasp and held it under her nose, pleased by the sweet fragrance.

John stepped beside her. “A perfect rose for a perfect Rose.”

“It’s beautiful.” Carefully, she placed the bud back in its holder and set her mug of tea down. “No one has ever gotten me flowers before.”

“Really?” John’s brow lifted in surprise. “That’s a crime, that is. You deserve an entire hillside.”

“Thank you.” With a tongue-touched grin, she snagged the collar of his coveralls in one hand.

He bent willingly as she tugged, nose brushing along hers. “You’re welcome,” his voice rumbled softly.

It only took a slight press on her toes to meet John’s lips in a warm kiss. Rose intended to keep it chaste, a token of gratitude for his lovely gift, but then she felt him lean over slightly to abandon his cup of tea on the desktop. Both of his arms slipped around her waist to her back, holding her like a delicate jewel. Unbidden, one of her hands travelled up his bicep to his shoulder and continued until she was scratching her fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck. He angled his head to deepen the kiss, humming in pleasure against her lip. The vibrations on the sensitive skin lit a fire in her veins. Her mouth parted slightly to draw in much-needed air and she nearly buckled when his tongue tickled her top lip.

“Can I join?”

John released her mouth with a delightful  _ pop _ . “Not if you value your life, Harkness.”

Rose giggled and rested her forehead on his shoulder, breathing deeply to stop the spinning beneath her feet.

“You’re no fun,” Jack whined.

She felt John’s chuckle through his chest and then he was, regrettably, unwinding his arms. “Suppose I should get to work.”

Rose pouted. “Shame.”

“See you at lunch?”

“Not if I see you first.”

John grinned, kissed her cheek, and headed to the back with a jaunty stroll.

As soon as John was out of sight, Jack rounded on her, smirking and eyeing her from head to toe. “Thoroughly snogged is an excellent look on you.”

Before Rose could think of a witty retort, Jack hefted her into the air in a bone-crushing hug. “Oof! Jack! Can’t breathe!”

“Sorry!” He set her down and beamed at her with a face-splitting grin. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you two to get your act together.  _ No  _ idea. And I need details!”

Charmed by Jack’s schoolgirl giddiness, Rose responded by a wide smile of her own. “I’d never kiss and tell.”

“Oh, don’t hold out on me. Go on. What’s a date with the Doctor like?”

At the mention of the Doctor’s name, Rose’s enthusiasm burst. “You mean John.”

Jack shrugged. “John, the Doctor, doesn’t matter. Same man.”

“Yeah, same man,” she mumbled in agreement.

True, she had witnessed John’s personality was nearly identical to the Doctor’s. And she was over the moon about their date and their kiss — kisses, now. However, tiny pieces of doubt gnawed at her. John still didn’t know he was an alien and the Doctor had no idea she had changed their relationship. Even if he was terrible at hiding his feelings for her, what if the Doctor hadn’t wanted to be more than her friend? What if she’d interpreted everything — all of the affectionate looks, the hand-holding, the near confessions — terrifyingly wrong?

Thoughts tumbling down a slippery slope, Rose felt panic well up in her.

Jack squeezed her arm gently. “I know that look. Stop it,” he commanded gently.

“Sorry.” She covered her face and groaned in frustration. “Why couldn’t this have happened before he turned himself human?”

“Because he’s thick.”

Rose shook her head fondly. “A bit, yeah.”

“Don’t you worry,” Jack cheered and swung an arm over her shoulder. “When this is all over, he’ll be happy he was a stupid ape for while. John went after what he wants most — you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Promise.” He flashed her his most dashing grin and kissed her temple. “And then I’ll get to stumble across the two of you in all sorts of sexy posi—”

“Oi!” She swatted his chest. “M’not an exhibitionist!”

Jack waggled his eyebrows. “A man can hope.”

Laughing at his absurdity, Rose playfully shoved him towards the back to get to work. She took a deep breath and allowed his optimistic words to soothe the remnants of her frazzled nerves.

Before she could begin her own tasks, her phone chimed with a text and she glanced at the screen; Mickey. The message was brief, just informing her he wouldn’t be in to work today, but it still eased her worries to see he wasn’t ignoring her completely. A sliver of hope, then, that their friendship could be mended.

As usual, the morning was so busy Rose didn’t notice it was past lunch until her stomach grumbled. It seemed Jack and John were similarly swamped; both men hadn’t pried themselves away from their respective cars yet. She knocked on the glass partition and caught John’s eye, tapping her wrist to indicate the time. He acknowledged her with a smile and called out to Jack, who whooped in relief and set his tools down.

After washing his soiled fingers, John walked into reception. “Rob went on an errand. Jack and I are gonna pick up food. Chips, ok?”

“You know I like the lattes, you know how I take my tea. Don’t tell me you failed to notice my addiction to chips!” Rose teased.

His lips twitched into a grin. “Drenched in vinegar?”

“Soak ‘em.”

“You wish is my command.”

Rose’s heart skipped at the familiar phrase. With a cheery wave, John followed Jack out the door and they disappeared around the corner. Alone and basking in the temporary quiet, Rose began to straighten out the mess of papers on her desk as she waited for her lunch. Barely five minutes had passed before the shop bell tinkled in the air and she scrunched her nose in confusion — they shouldn’t be back already.

“Forget your wallet again, J—” Rose glanced up from her paperwork expecting to see John’s sheepish grin.

But it wasn’t John and her muscles locked in fear at the unwelcome sight in front of her.

Jimmy Stone.

He stood in the center of reception, filling the air with his cheap, noxious cologne, and leered at her body in a way she used to find flattering. Nothing in his appearance had changed over the years; he still had shaggy blonde hair, a fake tan, and pointlessly ripped jeans slung low on his hips. In her teenage years, Rose had been thrilled to be attached to the hottest and baddest boy on the estates. Out of all the girls vying for his attention, he had picked  _ her.  _ Winning his affections had proved to be a monumental mistake.

“Hey babes,” Jimmy sneered.

“We’re closed.” Rose ducked her head down to her paperwork.

“Aww, what’s the matter? Didn’t ya miss me?” He prowled closer, voice oozing false charm.

Past experience cinched her mouth shut. She refused to answer. Ignoring him was the only viable strategy she had. Anything she said would be twisted and lobbed back at her in a torrent of vitriolic insults.

“I see you’re back workin’ in a shop.” His gaze slithered around and then landed back on her with a lewd grin. “Suits ya better than Henrick’s. Dirty and dim.” When his comments garnered no reaction from her, he chuckled darkly. “Gonna be like that then, are ya? I heard ya went travelin’ with some bloke. But here ya are. Must have realized his mistake and dumped ya back here where ya belong.”

Clenching her jaw, Rose forcefully shuffled her paperwork.

A dark shadow obscured her as Jimmy stepped up to the desk and placed his palms on the wood top. He leaned in until his cigarette-coated breath ruffled her hair. “You never should have left me. We both know no one else wants ya. Ring me when you’re ready to come back.” She resisted the urge to vomit as he reached out and trailed one greasy finger down her cheek. “Don’t keep me waitin’.”

He snatched John’s flower out of its vase and squeezed his fist, crumpling the delicate petals. One by one, he released his fingers and watched tattered pieces of the pink rose flutter lifelessly to the threadbare carpet. Cackling in malice, Jimmy spun around and left.

When the door slammed behind him, Rose gasped in a breath. Bile burned her throat. Of course Jimmy would choose to rattle her in the middle of the workday. He’d always loved to surprise her at Henrick’s to remind her she wasn’t any better than the rats living behind the drywall, more suited to a life of skulking in an alley than folding designer women’s clothing.

Before she could control the sheen of moisture gathering in her eyes, the bell chimed once more as John and Jack returned. Their warm laughter immediately began to ease the chill of Jimmy’s presence. 

“As requested, chips smothered in vinegar.” Jack grinned cheekily and set a container of food by her elbow. His smile vanished when she met his eyes. “Are you alright?”

At the mention of her being anything other than perfect, John popped by her side. “What’s wrong?” He peered around the shop for the source of her distress and discovered the squashed remains of his flower. “Who did this?”

“N-no one. I dropped it,” Rose lied, struggling not to stutter.

John’s eyes narrowed in concern. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Just feelin’ a bit sick. S’cuse me.” She stood quickly and fled to the loo.

It was easier to feign illness than to explain. Rose knew they both cared for her, but the last thing she wanted to do was share and relive the worst days of her life. They’d look at her, eyes full of pity, and think her an idiot for ever falling for a slimy git like Jimmy. So, it was best to sit on a closed toilet lid, cradle her head in her palms, and wait for the panic to pass.

But she was interrupted within minutes of shutting the door.

“Rose?” Jack’s voice seeped through the cracks of wood.

“Go away,” she mumbled.

“But—”

“Look,” Rose huffed. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. And please, keep John away.” She knew she’d crumble completely with one glance at his concerned face. “I don’t want him to see me like this.”

Jack sighed loudly but said nothing further. After a few moments, she heard his footsteps fade away. Finally alone, Rose allowed herself to fall apart. When the silent tears had stopped and dried on her cheeks, she cautiously retreated from her impromptu hideaway. Thankfully, John and Jack were back to work. Her container of chips remained on the desk, now cold and soggy.

No one bothered her for the remainder of the workday, although John did try and send more smiles her way through the glass.

~*~

John was worried.

Actually, worried was an understatement. Twice now, two days in a row, Rose had gone ashen in front of him like the devil itself had appeared before her. This time she’d passed it off as some sudden ailment and scurried off to the loo. Jack had followed her, ordering him to stay put, but was unsuccessful in his attempts to confront her. He’d been about to chase after Rose himself when Jack had had the audacity to grab his arm and drag him back to work, ordering him to  _ leave her alone. _

_ Leave her alone?!  _ Rose was  _ his  _ girlfriend! Well… he was probably getting ahead of things. One date did not automatically assign her as his. But it didn’t change the fact that he itched to hold her in his arms and protect her from the world.

Fury had overtaken his gut when he’d picked the crushed flower off the floor. Rose may not want to talk about it, but it was obvious someone had paid her a visit while they’d gone to get lunch. Someone had scared her, someone had ruined his gift to her, and he had no idea who the bastard was. If he ever found out, him/her/it would wish they’d never been born.

By the end of the day, Rose did seem better. But her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“It’s Friday!” Jack proclaimed loudly as he locked the shop door. “Date night! And since neither of you has asked, I’m stealing you both as my date for the evening.”

“Is that so?” John raised his eyebrow and shared an amused look with Rose. She shook her head with a little laugh and he internally cheered to see her spirits raise a notch.

“I demand it.” Jack winked at each of them and proceeded to skip down the street.

“Don’t expect breakfast in the mornin’!” John called out to his retreating back. He turned his attention to Rose. “Are you feelin’ up to a night out?”

She chewed her lip a bit and shrugged. “Yeah, could do with a pint.”

“And chips?” he added, knowing she hadn’t eaten her lunch.

“I could murder some chips.”

“Chips and a pint on me.” Her mouth opened in objection, but he cut her off, “It’s on me. No arguin’. I even remembered me wallet this time.”

As he patted his pocket with a grin, he wondered why he’d said that. He hadn’t forgotten money on their first date. Judging by Rose’s scrunched nose, she was equally perplexed. Choosing to bypass the blunder, John took her hand and squeezed. A soft smile brightened her face and she squeezed back.

~*~

The pub around the corner was nearly always crowded, but it had a warm atmosphere and reasonably priced drinks. Rose slid into a booth beside John who flashed her a silly grin. Jack sat opposite them and stared at her as if he expected more tears. She decided right then and there to forget about what had happened with Jimmy. He may have had a knack for using her insecurities against her in the past, but she was tougher now. Stronger. She’d seen new worlds and the wonders of the universe. By comparison, Jimmy Stone was an insect. Time for him to be squashed by her metaphorical boot.

A round of pints was delivered to the table and Rose immediately pulled hers in for a large gulp. John reached for his with one arm and wound the other around her waist, cuddling her into his side. She went willingly and rested her head on his shoulder, basking in his calm, protective warmth.

“Well, I don’t know about you two lovebirds, but this week nearly killed me. I’m almost ready to wave the white flag of surrender and take up gigolo work.” Jack took a swig of his pint. “At least then, every day would have a happy ending.”

Beer flew from Rose’s mouth as she sputtered at Jack’s quip. She quickly covered her face with her hands and laughed into her palm. He beamed at her from across the table, proud to be the cause of her uncontrollable mirth.

John tsked playfully in her ear, “You’re gonna have to learn to swallow, Rose.”

She howled harder and rested her forehead on the tabletop, attempting to pull in lungfuls of air while her chuckles morphed into amused snorts. This was exactly what she needed to cheer her up after her harrowing lunch break. She could always trust the Doctor and the Captain to heal her with laughter.

“You two are unbelievable!” Rose lifted her head and fell back into John’s arm, shoulders still shaking with silent laughter. John smiled fondly at her and placed a light kiss to her temple before lifting his glass to drain it dry.

“What did they do now?” asked a voice suddenly standing by their table.

Rose looked up to see Mickey standing next to them, smiling like a loon with a gorgeous, dark-haired woman in tow. She was surprised at the sudden change in his demeanor; he had been cantankerous most days, especially after their argument and his accident. Catching his eye, she offered him a tentative grin and was thrilled when he returned it.

“Ah, Mr. Mickey!” greeted Jack. “I was hoping you got my text! And who is this lovely lady?”

“This is Martha Jones,” Mickey introduced. “She stitched my palm at the A&E.”

“Hello, Martha, Jack Harkness,” Jack purred and reached over to shake the lovely woman’s hand.

“Stop it,” Mickey chastised.

“I was only saying hello!”

“I don’t mind,” Martha laughed.

“For Jack, that’s a come on.” Mickey shook his head with a smile and pulled a chair to the end of the table for Martha and plopped himself next to Jack. “Anyway, that’s the Captain, and this is John and Rose,” Mickey said pointing to each of them. They took turns shaking hands and exchanging a friendly greeting.

“It’s nice to meet all of you,” Martha said. “I hardly get the time to go out for drinks these days.”

“Oh, drinks! Sorry, let me go get you one. Looks like everyone one could use another round anyway.” Mickey got to his feet. “Rose? Would mind helpin’ me?”

Momentarily stunned, Rose nodded and followed him to the bar. He placed the order with the bartender and then turned to her, hands in his pockets, feet shuffling on the ground.

“M’sorry,” they said in unison.

Rose waved at him. “Go ahead.”

“M’sorry for yellin’ at you the other day,” he apologized. 

“S’ok. I understand. M’sorry for… well, everything. I guess I’ve always taken you for granted. You deserve better than that.”

“I took you for granted, too,” he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. “Guess I got cozy with how we were, sorta expected to spend my life with you, to be honest. But then we’d have just been settlin’ for each other. We were over a while ago.”

“Yeah, s’pose you’re right. Mum won’t be too pleased. She wanted me to have your babies.”

Mickey grimaced. “Babies? Too young for that, aren’t we? Just because she had you at your age don’t mean we had to be just as quick.”

“That’s what I said!” Rose laughed.

“Nutter, that one.” He chuckled along with her and then sent her a pleading look. “Still friends?”

“Yes, of course! That will never change.” Relieved she hadn’t lost her older mate, Rose smiled and opened her arms for a friendly hug.

Mickey accepted the embrace and gave her a grateful squeeze around the shoulders. “We was always better friends anyways.”

The bartender finished pouring their pints and Mickey set a few notes on the bartop. Rose helped him scoop up the drinks and headed back to the table.

“Looks like you’ve found someone already, eh?” she teased on the short walk. “Martha seems nice.”

“She’s great, yeah!” He blushed as he observed his date. “And she’s unbelievably hot.”

Mindful of their drinks, Rose playfully bumped his shoulder. They distributed the glasses when they arrived back at their seats and Rose cozied up to John once more. He wasted no time in threading his arm around her waist and resting a hand on the opposite hip.

“Before I forget,” Rose announced, nearly distracted by John's fingers tapping a lazy rhythm on her hip bone. “Mum invited all of you ‘round for tea on Sunday.”

“All of us?” Mickey eyed Martha, obviously wanting to spend all of his free time with his new girl.

“Yes, all of ya. Martha, you should come too. Mum loves a crowd. She always makes enough to feed an army.”

Martha nodded and beamed at Mickey. “Thank you, sounds lovely.”

“What time should I be there, love?” John asked.

Rose nearly choked on her beer and stared at John. He was casually sipping his drink as if he hadn’t said anything abnormal. As if it was completely customary for him to use that term of endearment.  _ Love?  _ Surely, he’d had a slip of the tongue. He couldn’t possibly be in love with her already… could he?

Realizing she hadn’t said anything, Rose finally answered, “Six.”

“Six it is.” John winked at her and resumed a story he had been telling Jack.

Conversation flowed with the beer as the group continued to unwind after a long work week. Rose enjoyed getting to know Martha and telling her a few embarrassing stories about Mickey as a kid. But her mind was quietly stewing over John’s unintentional declaration. Did he say it because the Doctor felt that way? Would he continue to say it when his Time Lord faculties were restored?

Every time John tickled her ribs or kissed her brow, Rose told her worries to  _ sod off. _ What did it matter, really? She’d been in love with in the alien since  _ run _ and she’d continue to love him even if he didn’t feel the same.

Rose laughed as Martha shared one of her many outrageous patient encounters.

“He asked you to hold it while he peed?!” Rose said, incredulously.

“Yes! And when I said no, he had the balls to ask if I would sleep with him!” Martha exclaimed.

“He didn't even offer to buy you a drink first?” asked John. Rose rolled her eyes at him and gave him a light slap on the arm for his cheek.

“Oh, such hard work,” Jack commented with a wink to Martha.

“Trust me, I'm totally worth it,” boasted Martha, holding her head up high. “Just not with men comin’ on to me with their bits hangin’ out!”

“Mickey, take notes!” Jack cackled in delight and slapped the man on the back. Mickey’s ears turned red and Martha sent him an exaggerated wink.

Rose held her side as she giggled at Jack. “You are terrible!”

She excused herself to use the loo, smacking a kiss to John's lips before standing. Three beers had given her a pleasant buzz; it unraveled the ball of stress she had been carrying around for a month because of the Family and, more recently, Jimmy. Rose had allowed herself to truly enjoy the evening amongst friends and a man thoroughly besotted with her, leading to one of the best nights she’d had since landing back on Earth.  

Rose quickly washed her hands, all too eager to return to her handsome date. Smiling like a lovestruck idiot, she opened the door to return to her table.

And stopped dead in her tracks instead when she encountered a man waiting for her in the hallway.

Jimmy’s face twisted with a wicked smile. “We meet again, babes.”


End file.
